MFP is wrong.. :(

Niliii
Niliii Posts: 22 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Here is the thing; I've been here for 295 days today. I did almost everything mfp suggested and I succeeded. I lost 25kg but now my problem is to maintain. I tried maintaining for 1 month and I ended up gaining 2 kg. I checked my BMR and saw that it decreased from 1700ish to 1400ish but mfp still gives me 1780 to maintain.. I didn't notice this before, now I'm eating according to mt BMR to maintain. MFP's maintaining settings should be re-checked, don't make the same mistake I did.

Replies

  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    You will still lose weight eating at BMR, no? I believe that still puts you in a deficit. MFP is just a computer program, not an exact science. I had the opposite issue- I need to eat more than what MFP says in order to maintain. MFP is fine for losing weight but once you get at or close to maintenance, I think it needs to be tweaked individually. I also think maintaining is the hardest part!
  • pinkminy
    pinkminy Posts: 286
    i think the recommendations by MFP are a guide only, you need to work out your own, using MFP guide a point of reference only
  • Di3012
    Di3012 Posts: 2,247 Member
    Maintenance can be hit and miss for a while until you find the correct amount for you. Once goal weight is achieved, more food should gradually be added at, say, 50 calories extra per day, until you find the right amount that will keep your weight stable.

    OP, there is no problem really when you think about it, you know that your maintenance amount of calories is probably a tad too high for you hence why a little weight went back on, but you have spotted it in plenty of time and can take steps to take that weight back off.

    The problems arise when somebody does not keep their eye on it all and just lets it all go to pot until they have put ALL their weight back on, you didn't do that, which is excellent.
  • Niliii
    Niliii Posts: 22 Member
    The problems arise when somebody does not keep their eye on it all and just lets it all go to pot until they have put ALL their weight back on, you didn't do that, which is excellent.
    Indeed, I'm so afraid to gain weight again, because I've been struggling with weight all my life until I found MFP, so I'll always keep an eye on, and I plan to measure every week and log in as long as I can. Thank you very much.
  • Mom0fTwo
    Mom0fTwo Posts: 326 Member
    I was reading in another post about this and they said to add the extra calories very gradually like 100 cals/week or something so that your body/metabolism gets used to it and doesn't gain
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    Just so you know, you don't maintain at your BMR level. You maintain at the TDEE. Now, MFP can be wrong as it's based on a general population. Your BMR is affected by the amount of muscle. If you are less muscle, your BMR will be lower than MFP's prediction. If you have more muscle than the general population, it will be higher. If you can find out your body fat %, you will have a better indicator of your BMR and then you can apply the TDEE multiplier based on your lifestyle. Also, 4 lbs can be water weight based on your bodies cycle. It could also be an affect based on sodium intake on previous days.


    Either way, in the end, you still need to increase or decrease calories in 100 -200 calorie intervals to find your sweet spot. i assess my information each month.
  • junyr
    junyr Posts: 416 Member
    Here is the thing; I've been here for 295 days today. I did almost everything mfp suggested and I succeeded. I lost 25kg but now my problem is to maintain. I tried maintaining for 1 month and I ended up gaining 2 kg. I checked my BMR and saw that it decreased from 1700ish to 1400ish but mfp still gives me 1780 to maintain.. I didn't notice this before, now I'm eating according to mt BMR to maintain. MFP's maintaining settings should be re-checked, don't make the same mistake I did.

    MFP is not "to the calorie" exact. It gives suggestions based on averages. It gives you a place to start and once you get to know your body a bit better and MPF isn't doing exactly what you need then tweak the numbers down or up a bit to get the results you want.
  • Shweedog
    Shweedog Posts: 883 Member
    BMR is not maintenance. It is the cals you need to survive if you laid in bed all day and did not move. You are supposed to eat at your BMR + daily activity cals (TDEE) in order to maintain. You will lose eating at your BMR. All that being said, MFP basis all of this on "typical" numbers. Everyone is different and their metabolisms run at different rates.
  • My1985Freckles
    My1985Freckles Posts: 1,039 Member
    Just so you know, you don't maintain at your BMR level. You maintain at the TDEE. Now, MFP can be wrong as it's based on a general population. Your BMR is affected by the amount of muscle. If you are less muscle, your BMR will be lower than MFP's prediction. If you have more muscle than the general population, it will be higher. If you can find out your body fat %, you will have a better indicator of your BMR and then you can apply the TDEE multiplier based on your lifestyle. Also, 4 lbs can be water weight based on your bodies cycle. It could also be an affect based on sodium intake on previous days.


    Either way, in the end, you still need to increase or decrease calories in 100 -200 calorie intervals to find your sweet spot. i assess my information each month.

    This!

    Your BMR is what you should eat if you laid in bed all day without moving.
  • AloyMomNwife
    AloyMomNwife Posts: 146 Member
    You are supposed to adjust your fitness goals as you lose. I started at over 1600 calories/day and after 20 something lbs lost I'm down to little over 1500 calories. MFP does not do it automatically, you have to go to your profile and adjust it yourself.
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